Town of Sharpsburg

Sharpsburg, Maryland, suffered damage during the Battle of Antietam, and many of its buildings were used as hospitals after the battle.

In 1763 Joseph Chapline laid out the town of Sharpsburg, which was named to honor Maryland Colonial Governor Horatio Sharpe. At the time of the Civil War the town’s population was 1,300. At the September 17, 1862 Battle of Antietam, or the Battle of Sharpsburg, the town was behind Confederate lines. The armies incurred over 23,000 casualties during the battle and a number of the town’s buildings suffered damage. More damage was inflicted to the town after the battle when many of its building were used as hospitals.

Following the war, Antietam National Cemetery was established in Sharpsburg. It was dedicated on September 17, 1867, the fifth anniversary of the Battle of Antietam. In the decades that followed, Sharpsburg was often a destination for veterans and others arriving to tour the battlefield and visit the cemetery.